That book club member who said my favorite genre was 'fluff' really got me thinking

She claimed I only read psychological thrillers because they're 'easy' and don't require emotional investment, so I tried a literary fiction novel last month (The Remains of the Day) and honestly, it changed how I pick my monthly picks now. Has anyone else had a club member challenge your reading taste and make you actually reconsider?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotc1012d ago

That line about "don't require emotional investment" got me. My wife's book club picked A Little Life last year and I picked it up out of curiosity. I had to put it down three times because it hit too close to home with some stuff from my own past. I stuck with my Michael Connelly novels for a month after that just to clear my head. But then I tried Sally Rooney and realized I'd been avoiding messy feelings in books the same way I avoid them in real life. Not saying I'm converted to literary fiction full time but I get what you mean now.

black.margaret12d ago

Really feel for you on this one, @elliotc10. That A Little Life is brutal even if you don't have personal history with tough stuff, so I can only imagine how much worse it hit for you. I actually had a similar moment with a book called The Remains of the Day a few years back (not nearly as heavy, I know, but it made me look at my own emotional walls). It's funny how we reach for the easy reads as a shield sometimes, isn't it? Good on you for noticing that pattern in yourself though, that's not easy to admit. And Sally Rooney is a gentler way in for sure, she lets you feel things without walloping you over the head with them. Hope you keep finding books that help you sort through the messy stuff, even if you still need a Michael Connelly palette cleanser now and then.